Easy-use and low-cost fiber-based two-color dynamic light-scattering apparatus

We present a small and compact two-color cross-correlation light-scattering setup designed to study the structure and dynamics of colloidal suspensions in the regime of considerable turbidity. Using a homemade concentric four-arm goniometer, combined with fiber-optical illumination and detection devices, allows an easy and long time stable alignment-even under a temperature variation of ∼5 °C. Tests with a nearly multiple scattering free suspension of small Rayleigh scatterers show intercepts in cross correlation near 0.4 over a wide range of scattering angles from 20° to 150°. Measuring slightly turbid samples in cross-correlation mode multiple scattering is sufficiently suppressed allowing the determination of multiple scattering free dynamic structure factors as well as particle form factors.